Data base on the iPhone - Page 4

ddhsoftware · 01-07-2009, 01:58 PM

You're neither, just correct! I have to apologize, I just checked and noticed that it never mentions the word Palm when it talks about using Desktop Connect to transfer databases to the device. It's covered in detail in the User Guide but just says that you can transfer databases from your desktop to the device. I'm going to have a new FAQ added to cover how to transfer databases from your Palm, Windows Mobile device, etc so this has better coverage available. Thanks for letting me know about this!

Originally Posted by astroman009

Thanks for the prompt, friendly, helpful reply! It's a hallmark of your company and the quality of your products.

I had checked the FAQs before-- and just checked again at this page.

http://www.ddhsoftware.com/knowledge...iphone&typ=FAQ

I must be dense or blind or both! I hadn't seen anything there about transferring Palm databases to the iPhone/IPT. I had read the one about the Mac Desktop conduit, but it never comes out and says "Your Palm databases can be transferred directly to the iPhone/IPT". It mentions CSV files and accessing your data, so I suppose that covers it!

I'd recommend a sentence in the app's main web page about Palm transfer-- and having an additional question is FAQ that would be "How do I transfer my Palm databases to the iPhone/IPT?".

In any event, it's just great to have confirmation that the connect mode will allow me to transfer my old databases. I'm off to buy the app-- well after I have lunch first (have to feed the personal system first! Ha! Ha!).

Thanks much again--and it's a privilege getting a response from one of the programmers!

ddhsoftware · 01-07-2009, 02:02 PM

Wow, you've really been around a long time- 2.75 is over 5 years old! We added support for version 3 and version 4 HanDBase formats to iPhone but skipped v2 (and v1) to keep the program size down. The 2.75 databases are not recognized by the program or Desktop Connect. The good news is that they are quite easy to update to v3 format with your v3 desktop. Just open the 2.75 database with the HanDBase3 desktop and it will update it for you. Select File, Save as and save it to a new location. Then install that to your device. No need to convert to CSV and back, though that would also work.

The only hiccups with conversions we've seen is when someone is converting a database with link or linked fields and doesn't have the other database file in the same path. Since the two tables are related and rely on each other for information, they must both be present in the same folder so it can find the info it needs to convert it.

Let me know if you run into any further problems with this!

Originally Posted by astroman009

Back after buying the app. Just tried the connect mode. I'm able to connect and download one of the databases that came with the iPhone app. But the uploads are failing--both pdb and CSV. Do I have to be using HanDBase for the Palm 4 for this to work? I have 3, but use 2.75e as I preferred its interface. But I would think that CSVs should work... any suggestions would be appreciated.

Added titles to the CSV; that's now working. But the HDB 2.75e databases are not transferring over. Alas! Is there a workaround? I'd hate to have to convert all the old databases to CSV!

astroman009 · 01-07-2009, 02:08 PM

Dave, thanks so much for hanging in there with me on this! Yes, I go way back with HanDBase!! :-)

Alas, I just tried both HanDBase Desktop 3.0 and 3.5 and *neither* recognizes the 2.75e database file! The error message I get in 3.5 is "Not a HanDBase database file".

And I just discovered that the problem with transferring the CSV files is that they come over to the IPT with all fields as text and without any formulas or pop menus! :-(

Clearly, the best bet here is if I can figure out how to get the desktop 3.5 to convert the 2.75 database. Maybe I need to do that on the Palm itself...

ddhsoftware · 01-07-2009, 02:40 PM

That sure does seem odd! I have converted many databases using the desktop. Just to make sure, try to open the file use the File Open, and select Browse and browse to it. I'd also suggest downloading the latest and greatest version (3.75) for the 3.x- you should be able to get it from our registered user's section (top right of any page). If it still does not open/convert, then perhaps you can send one to our support team: http://www.ddhsoftware.com/mail.html

make sure to put a note to have them forward to me so I can take a look myself. We'll get these converted!

Originally Posted by astroman009

Dave, thanks so much for hanging in there with me on this! Yes, I go way back with HanDBase!! :-)

Alas, I just tried both HanDBase Desktop 3.0 and 3.5 and *neither* recognizes the 2.75e database file! The error message I get in 3.5 is "Not a HanDBase database file".

And I just discovered that the problem with transferring the CSV files is that they come over to the IPT with all fields as text and without any formulas or pop menus! :-(

Clearly, the best bet here is if I can figure out how to get the desktop 3.5 to convert the 2.75 database. Maybe I need to do that on the Palm itself...

astroman009 · 01-07-2009, 03:02 PM

Well, tried 3.75 (desktop is still 3.5 in that one, albeit a month or two later!). No luck! It doesn't like the old databases. But I solved this by installing HanDBase 3 onto the SONY Clie and converted all the databases. They now can be read by the desktop app, transfer over directly to the iPod Touch, and work fine! (I was initially thrown because I ended up with an astronomy database that had many blank records in it-- turns out that they were divider blank lines I had inserted at one point and with certain sorting they all ended up at the top. Whew!)

So, that's all settled nicely! Thank you, thank you.

One question... the font size in HanDBase on the IPT is small to my aging eyes! I hope that you all will be implementing a font size option for the record display. (And preferably that it use a popup numeric control rather than the slider which seems hard to operate--e.g., field width... I have trouble with Apple's Brightness slider, too, so this is a general issue.)

Or maybe, I missed a font size setting in HDB on the IPT?

Again, much appreciate the incredible customer service! A great testament to DDH Software and your personal efforts. Thanks!